Frio County issues no building permit for houses or other buildings outside city limits. Its Road & Bridge Department at 2207 BI 35 E in Pearsall approves septic systems ($200 for a residential system), reviews subdivision plats and issues permits for utility lines in county roads, and the County requires a floodplain development permit for all development. Pearsall and Dilley, the county’s two cities, permit building work themselves.
What needs county approval in Frio County?
County approvals
- Septic (on-site sewage facility) permit for a new system or an addition
- Floodplain development permit for all development, under the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance of May 23, 2016
- Plat review for subdivisions outside city limits
- Residential and commercial permits for water and sewer lines in county right-of-way, and pipeline permits
- Infrastructure standards for manufactured home, mobile home and RV rental communities
- 9-1-1 addressing (Road & Bridge assists)
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits for buildings outside the cities: the county lists none
- Construction inside Pearsall or Dilley
The floodplain permit form covers far more than buildings: clearing, fill, grading, drilling, drainage and culvert work, roads, new subdivisions and individual water or sewer systems. Nothing may start until the permit is issued, and the development may not be used until the County issues a Certificate of Compliance.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Frio County?
| Area | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Pearsall (county seat) | City Permit Division, 214 S Ash Street: building and electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing permits, contractor registration and inspection requests through the City’s Vertex Plans online portal; permits@cityofpearsall.org, 830-334-4160 |
| Dilley | City of Dilley, 116 E. Miller (830-965-1624): residential and commercial permit applications on its forms page, with plan review and inspection fees set under the City’s agreement with Bureau Veritas |
| Unincorporated county, buildings | No county building permit or building inspection |
| Septic systems anywhere in the county, Pearsall and Dilley included; plats; utilities in county roads | Road & Bridge Department and County Designated Representative, 2207 BI 35 E, Pearsall, 830-505-7402 (TCEQ lists Frio County as its septic agent for the entire county) |
| Floodplain | Emergency Management Coordinator, 101 N. Commerce St., Suite 111, Dilley, 830-326-3281 |
The county’s rules note that cities enforce their own subdivision regulations in their extraterritorial jurisdictions; Dilley publishes an ETJ map on its forms page.
Frio County fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential septic system | $200 |
| Commercial or aerobic septic system | $450 |
| Residential waterline or sewer tap permit in county right-of-way | $150 per line |
| Commercial waterline or sewer tap permit | $500 per line, plus $500 per road crossing and per county right-of-way used |
| Oil or gas pipeline permit | $2,000 per line, plus $2,000 per road crossing and per county right-of-way used |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Payments are made out to Frio County by money order or cashier’s check only.
What the septic application needs
- A system design by a professional engineer or registered sanitarian; every system must be designed
- A flood study by a professional engineer, because FEMA maps are not available for the unincorporated county
- The Frio County floodplain development permit application
- Proof of the legal description: deed, plat map or survey
- A site plan showing property lines, the proposed system, wells, the house, utility lines, outbuildings, easements and the 100-year floodplain boundary (or a note that none exists)
- A site evaluation by a licensed site evaluator, and the licensed installer’s signed site inspection confirmation
Road & Bridge accepts original designs only; copies, faxes and emails are refused.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get county approval to build outside a city
New subdivisions go to Road & Bridge for plat review under the county’s Subdivision Regulations, or to the city in its ETJ.
With no FEMA maps for the unincorporated county, a professional engineer prepares the flood study for the floodplain permit.
Hire an engineer or registered sanitarian and a licensed site evaluator.
Bring the original design, application, floodplain application, legal description and site plan, with a money order or cashier’s check.
A water or sewer line in a county road needs the $150 residential utility permit; the County Engineer inspects it before it is covered.
Do not use or occupy the development until the County issues it.
Utility lines, floodplain and rental communities
Lines laid under the residential utility permit must be at least 10 ft from the edge of the pavement, in the back slope of the ditch, at the County’s minimum cover depth. Call Texas 811 first, get the County Engineer’s written permission before boring under or cutting a road, and do not cover the line until the Engineer has inspected it. Breaking the floodplain ordinance can bring a fine of up to $500 per violation. Rental communities for manufactured homes, mobile homes and RVs must meet the county’s infrastructure requirements, adopted July 14, 2014.
Rather not deal with the Frio County building department?
Get a free quote →Texas building code
Texas has no single statewide building code: state law makes the International Residential Code the base code for homes in cities and the International Building Code the base for commercial buildings, with each city choosing the edition and its own amendments, while the National Electrical Code and the energy code apply statewide. Outside city limits most counties issue no building permits for homes. Texas building code rules
Frio County official resources
- Frio County Road & Bridge Department
- Road & Bridge fee schedule, August 2026 (PDF)
- Septic system permit application (PDF)
- Emergency Management and floodplain documents
- Floodplain development permit application (PDF)
- Residential utility permit for county right-of-way (PDF)
- Frio County subdivision regulations (PDF)
- Manufactured home and RV community requirements (PDF)
- City of Pearsall permits
- City of Dilley forms and permit applications
- TCEQ on-site sewage facilities
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Frio County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Frio County?
The county issues no building permit, but you need a floodplain development permit for any development and a septic permit if the house uses a septic system.
How much is a septic permit in Frio County?
$200 for a residential system and $450 for commercial or aerobic systems, paid by money order or cashier’s check.
Why do I need a flood study for a septic permit?
The County says FEMA flood maps are not available for its unincorporated areas, so a professional engineer must prepare one.
Who issues building permits in Pearsall?
The City of Pearsall’s Permit Division, through its online development portal; email permits@cityofpearsall.org.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a new-home permit in Dilley?
The residential plan review and inspection fee schedule Dilley agreed with Bureau Veritas in 2019, attached to its permit application, charges $785 for a new home up to 1,500 sq ft, plus $0.35 per square foot above that up to 10,000 sq ft ($3,760 plus $0.15 per sq ft beyond 10,000). For residential alterations and additions it charges $100 per trade (building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fuel gas) and $160 per trade for other project types.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Frio County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.